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A man in North Carolina is celebrating after he was able to claim his own slice of the record-breaking $2 billion Powerball drawing.
As the recent Powerball jackpot soared to over $2 billion, people across the country rushed to buy tickets to try their luck at landing the prize, including Michael Buck, of Rocky Mount. The 62-year-old Nash County man was at Walmart when an employee in the pharmacy suggested he pick up a ticket for the drawing, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery.
"The girl at the pharmacy told me they sold Powerball tickets at customer service," he said. "I told her, 'If I win I'll come back and buy you a car.'"
Though he didn't win the jackpot, he did ended up scoring big after his ticket matched numbers on four white balls and the Powerball, scoring him $50,000 which then doubled to $100,000 thanks to the 2X Power Play multiplier. Buck still credits the pharmacy worker for steering him to the tickets and hopes to do something to repay her.
"I didn't hit the jackpot so I can't buy her a car but I'll definitely bring her something," he said.
Buck is no stranger to playing the lottery, usually picking up a ticket once the jackpot tips over $500 million. However, he is still in shock that he managed to win.
"I kind of just walked around the house a little bit. I was shaking," he said, adding, "This win really is quite extraordinary."
Buck claimed his prize Tuesday (November 8) at lottery headquarters, taking home a total of $71,017 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what he plans to do with his winnings, aside from his gift to the worker, he told lottery officials he hopes the prize will help his retirement fund.